Electric Car Parallel Parking Complaint: Technical Constraints and Technician Explanation
The Indonesian automotive world, particularly the electric vehicle segment, is currently abuzz with a complaint from a consumer named Aa Juju. Through a viral social media post, he expressed his disappointment with a car unit he had just purchased in cash. His main complaint focuses on technical constraints when performing parallel parking, which have an impact on battery health and the vehicle’s electrical system.
Based on information gathered from the consumer’s statement, Aa Juju emphasised that from the beginning of the purchase process, he had conveyed his specific needs to the sales staff. Given the environmental conditions or parking areas he frequently uses, the car’s ability to perform parallel parking was an absolute requirement.
However, after the unit was delivered, the reality on the ground proved to be the opposite. Using the car for parallel parking is suspected to have triggered a series of fairly serious technical problems. This raises major questions about the product education provided by sales staff to consumers before the transaction is completed, especially for units purchased in cash without a financing scheme.
The problems experienced by Aa Juju did not stop at mechanical difficulties when parking. He reported several significant technical constraints.
Responding to the complaint, technicians from the relevant dealer provided a rather surprising explanation. According to the technician, the car is indeed not recommended to be parked in a parallel position too often. The reason relates to energy management in the battery system.
The technician stated that when the car is in parallel parking mode, which usually requires the transmission to be in Neutral with a specific procedure, excessive battery drain occurs.
Technically, many modern cars, especially those using an Electronic Parking Brake or Shift-by-Wire transmission, are not designed by default for parallel parking with the engine off. To perform parallel parking, the user usually has to activate a special mode such as Shift Lock Release.
On an electric car, if this procedure is not carried out correctly or if the supporting system continues to draw power while the car is stationary, the 12V battery will quickly run flat. The 12V battery in an electric car functions to power the computer system and the main high-voltage battery relay. If the 12V battery is drained, the large battery will not be able to deliver power, and the car will shut down completely.
Aa Juju’s case serves as an important lesson for prospective electric car buyers. It is crucial to understand the technical characteristics of the vehicle, especially regarding the parallel parking feature, which often has a different mechanism from conventional cars. Consumers are advised to always request a direct demonstration of features before taking delivery of the unit, especially if they have specific parking needs.
For electric car owners, it is advisable to monitor the condition of the 12V battery regularly and ensure that the parallel parking procedure is carried out in accordance with the owner’s manual to avoid unwanted battery drain.